I am fixing a 1980's cannondale road bike and have upgraded and purchased parts to make this formerly 6 speed bike up to a 7 speed, the only problem I am having now is trying to find a rear wheel/wheelset that can accommodate the 7 speed cassette. Just wondering if it would be possible to use a spacer+the 7 speed cassette to make it fit onto a 8/9/10 speed wheel or do I need a 7 speed specific rear wheel?
Also if i need a 7 speed specific rear wheel, any suggestions as to ones that I may be able to purchase?

(06-10-2013, 10:09 PM)hawaiibike Wrote: I am fixing a 1980's cannondale road bike and have upgraded and purchased parts to make this formerly 6 speed bike up to a 7 speed, the only problem I am having now is trying to find a rear wheel/wheelset that can accommodate the 7 speed cassette. Just wondering if it would be possible to use a spacer+the 7 speed cassette to make it fit onto a 8/9/10 speed wheel or do I need a 7 speed specific rear wheel?
Also if i need a 7 speed specific rear wheel, any suggestions as to ones that I may be able to purchase?

nutted axle or quick release? and budget? What is your rear spacing?
do you have cassette or freewheel? lets see some pics

There are two kinds of people in the world, "Those who help themselves to people, and those who help people!"

(06-10-2013, 10:09 PM)hawaiibike Wrote: I am fixing a 1980's cannondale road bike and have upgraded and purchased parts to make this formerly 6 speed bike up to a 7 speed, the only problem I am having now is trying to find a rear wheel/wheelset that can accommodate the 7 speed cassette. Just wondering if it would be possible to use a spacer+the 7 speed cassette to make it fit onto a 8/9/10 speed wheel or do I need a 7 speed specific rear wheel?
Also if i need a 7 speed specific rear wheel, any suggestions as to ones that I may be able to purchase?

nutted axle or quick release? and budget? What is your rear spacing?
do you have cassette or freewheel? lets see some pics

Currently using quick releases, budget would be around $300, rear spacing is around 126mm but caliper I'm using may not be accurate, currently have a freewheel (threaded) on, but I want to change it to a cassette if that's the right terminology and don't have any pics atm, due to the bike not being with me, I guess my main concern would be if using a spacer and a 7 wheel cassette would be ok on a 8/9/10 speed wheel, sorry if this is confusing...still trying to figure things out

You've got issues.
1) How much do you weigh?
2) What size wheel will work with the brakes on the bike? If it had 27" wheels (630mm) you have a decision to make. Will the brake pads move down 4mm + to fit smaller 700c rims? If not, see if the long reach Tektro brakes will solve the issue. Forum member [size=large]nfmisso[/size] has great info on these, you should consult him if you need them. Look on the old tires to see the wheel size, it also may be stamped on the old rim.
3) That 126mm spacing you measured is called the rear O.L.D. That size is no longer used for your application, it's now 130mm. You can often sneak a 130 into a 126 frame.

I suspect you had 27" wheels. If you are UNDER 200 lbs, the easy way out is to go here. But they are made for freewheels, not cassettes.OR have all the information above handy & call Robert @ 408-238-4886 MON-FRI: 9:00am - 7:00pm PST. He has 126mm freewheel hubs & 130mm cassette hubs that are inexpensive and can build you a 27" (or any) wheel set, but you may have to supply the rims if you want double wall, like a SUN CR18 or a Velocity Aero or Synergy. You can also have Velocity make you a 27" rear wheel here.

If you are under 200lbs and can use 700c wheels (622mm) then it is simpler. You look for a 130mm rear OLD. $300 will get you an OK wheelset, or you can provide or buy parts from Robert & have him make you exactly what you want, he is very helpful.
I also like these, but don't believe the BS about 300lb rider capacity, it is BULL poop. You'll need a cassette spacer too. Get the one with a recess for the cassette fasteners, otherwise you'll have to grind them off or file your own.

So if you need to switch from 27 to 700c & don't have cantilever brakes, you'll need the Tektro brakes ($70) and the Vuelta heavy duty wheels ($225) along with a $5 spacer and your set AND under budget.

(06-11-2013, 03:05 AM)1FJEF Wrote: You've got issues.
1) How much do you weigh?
2) What size wheel will work with the brakes on the bike? If it had 27" wheels (630mm) you have a decision to make. Will the brake pads move down 4mm + to fit smaller 700c rims? If not, see if the long reach Tektro brakes will solve the issue. Forum member [size=large]nfmisso[/size] has great info on these, you should consult him if you need them. Look on the old tires to see the wheel size, it also may be stamped on the old rim.
3) That 126mm spacing you measured is called the rear O.L.D. That size is no longer used for your application, it's now 130mm. You can often sneak a 130 into a 126 frame.

I suspect you had 27" wheels. If you are UNDER 200 lbs, the easy way out is to go here. But they are made for freewheels, not cassettes.OR have all the information above handy & call Robert @ 408-238-4886 MON-FRI: 9:00am - 7:00pm PST. He has 126mm freewheel hubs & 130mm cassette hubs that are inexpensive and can build you a 27" (or any) wheel set, but you may have to supply the rims if you want double wall, like a SUN CR18 or a Velocity Aero or Synergy. You can also have Velocity make you a 27" rear wheel here.

If you are under 200lbs and can use 700c wheels (622mm) then it is simpler. You look for a 130mm rear OLD. $300 will get you an OK wheelset, or you can provide or buy parts from Robert & have him make you exactly what you want, he is very helpful.
I also like these, but don't believe the BS about 300lb rider capacity, it is BULL poop. You'll need a cassette spacer too. Get the one with a recess for the cassette fasteners, otherwise you'll have to grind them off or file your own.

So if you need to switch from 27 to 700c & don't have cantilever brakes, you'll need the Tektro brakes ($70) and the Vuelta heavy duty wheels ($225) along with a $5 spacer and your set AND under budget.

Thank you guys so much, it's been hard trying to figure these things out from reading other experiences
so I am around 115 pounds, and the rims are currently 700c with 23c tires and I had replaced the dia compe 400 stock brakes with some newer shimano 600 brakes

So what I'm getting is my best bet for now is to simply get a customized rear wheel that will suit my purpose? Given as long as I provide my specifications...
Thank you guys so much for all your help!
Aloha
Actually ill just go with the vuelta wheelset+spacer to make things nice and simple
Thank you guys so much for the quick replies!

Yeah, so my leg weighs more than you.
You don't need a specific hub, 7, or 8/9/speed, you are correct, you just use a spacer.
You don't need to buy that heavy duty wheel set I recommended, but it should last you forever, it's a little heavy, but looks great & is strong.
If you are going to ride little knife edge tires like that, you may want a lighter wheel set. I always go for strength, but I'm WAY bigger than you.
If looks, or matching looks doesn't matter, then having just a rear wheel built would be under budget & very good quality. You could also check with arguably the premier production builder Peter White & get an excellent rear made for about $250 IF he has reasonably priced loose ball hubs in stock (no special orders, & if he has low $$ hub sets, you have to buy the front hub too, even if he doesn't build it up, he normally won't break up a cheaper set)

Velocity makes great strong light rims, Wheelsmith spokes are as good as any other spoke, if not better. For your application, on the rear, I'd suggest a Velocity Aerohead O/C rim, regular Aerohead on the front. Wheelsmith XL14 spokes (32 per wheel) (spoke recommendation will vary with number of spoke per wheel, and loaded weight of the bike).

Personally, I build my own wheels. Peter builds excellent wheels, and stands behind his work. He builds "plain old fashion" wheels, stiff, strong, with a sufficient number of spokes.

Velocity makes great strong light rims, Wheelsmith spokes are as good as any other spoke, if not better. For your application, on the rear, I'd suggest a Velocity Aerohead O/C rim, regular Aerohead on the front. Wheelsmith XL14 spokes (32 per wheel) (spoke recommendation will vary with number of spoke per wheel, and loaded weight of the bike).

Personally, I build my own wheels. Peter builds excellent wheels, and stands behind his work. He builds "plain old fashion" wheels, stiff, strong, with a sufficient number of spokes.

Thank you so much, and now seeing this better option I'll contact Peter to get a quote
....just having to ship everything to Hawaii, no matter the place of origin is a huge pain, but the bike is worth it

[color=#0000CD]I just saw nfmissos post after I put this one up & as usual I agree with him.[/color]
See if he has any of the old Seven Speed Shimano 105 SC hubsets with 126mm rear OLD, they are 32 hole but you are light, like lighter than a guard dog light. He had some listed near the bottom of the page here. Have your info ready, Peter can get grumpy quickly, your 700c road bike, your weight, road surface conditions (crap last time I was there!), your 7 speed Shimano cassette & your rear O.L.D. of 126mm. So to thumbnail guesstimate it you'd have $50 hub, $34 spokes/nipples, $45ish labor + shipping. So about $130 + the rim & shipping, & a good Mavic or Velocity rim will be about $55- $80.
Don't forget to check with Robert too, he's great at inexpensive options with great work quality.

(06-13-2013, 08:36 AM)1FJEF Wrote: See if he has any of the old Seven Speed Shimano 105 SC hubsets with 126mm rear OLD, they are 32 hole but you are light, like lighter than a guard dog light. He had some listed near the bottom of the page here. Have your info ready, Peter can get grumpy quickly, your 700c road bike, your weight, road surface conditions (crap last time I was there!), your 7 speed Shimano cassette & your rear O.L.D. of 126mm.
Don't forget to check with Robert too, he's great at inexpensive options with great work quality.

Going through his page I needed the exact specifications of tires I would be using, just to clarify this, if I'm using 23mm tires on a 700c rim, their dimensions would be written out as 23-622?

Yep, but he'll know its a 622 when you mention 700c. Sometimes he'll just fire questions at you. Remember to mention that you're just getting a rear and that you'll keep the spare front hub.
Also, don't forget Robert, he is super helpful, he just doesn't stock the higher end stuff that Mr White does.
Oh, & don't forget your going to need rim tape, Vellox is good (or, if you like, Veloplugs if you get a Velocity rim). Be aware that you may be making a wheel that is heavier than what you had! If your current rim is an entry level single wall it definitely could be, and as you are a speed freak (23mm tires!) you need to keep this in mind. There again, it may only amount to 60-70g, a couple of ounces, so not the end of the world.

Let me chime in, though most things have been said...
Since it is a 1980s bike the frame is steel? Then you can widen the rear triangle and accommodate the now standard 130mm OLD hubs. If it is any other material: do not bend it! It will kill you!

For road bikes (even for my cyclocross) 32 spokes are as much as you want - I weigh about 12 stones and the wheels hold up very well. Handbuilt is definitely to be preferred over machine built, the entry level machine built stuff needs to be tension adjusted before you ride (more likely than not). I know Nigel disagrees on the spoke #... and on the spoke type: I am sure that double butted spokes are longer lasting, but the wheels are not as "stiff", but that is not the issue (I would say) + stiffness is a kind of an ill-defined term with most people (not with our resident engineers in the forum!).

And regarding "speed freak"... well... a road bike is (still) supposed to be ridden with 23mm tyres - though we are in the process of moving to 25mm (and wider) tyres and wider rims, thanks to Zipp...

Yeah I looked them up... afterwards, so: Sorry about the confusion I may have caused - actually it makes no sense for me to invest research time in Wheelsmith spokes (with DT and Sapim being more readily available here in Europe). Still: I learned something today about Wheelsmith.
(I just remembered the discussion we had a couple of years ago.)

Quote:My recommendations were based on the OP's description of himself, his bike and what he desired.

32 spokes was based on the hubs Peter has with 126mm OLD. I got the distinct impression that the OP did not want to spread his frame.

I tried to search if somebody had already mentioned that in this thread, so I thought I could just offer a second (well... fourth?) idea. I really wondered why you ahd not suggested that, I know that you know about it.
On the spoke count: sure, I myself tend to build with 32 spokes (cross 3), there is no real advantage going to a lower count (other than looks, which counts for something). Also good to mention the weight issue - I guess I will contact you (or search the forum ) when I finally find the tandem frame I'm looking for - alas in Germany they are hard to find for a good price.
Also: I was having trouble with my mail server and was a bit... cranky, so please forgive me (plus, English is after all a second language to me...).

(06-10-2013, 10:09 PM)hawaiibike Wrote: I am fixing a 1980's cannondale road bike and have upgraded and purchased parts to make this formerly 6 speed bike up to a 7 speed, the only problem I am having now is trying to find a rear wheel/wheelset that can accommodate the 7 speed cassette. Just wondering if it would be possible to use a spacer+the 7 speed cassette to make it fit onto a 8/9/10 speed wheel or do I need a 7 speed specific rear wheel?
Also if i need a 7 speed specific rear wheel, any suggestions as to ones that I may be able to purchase?

(06-10-2013, 10:09 PM)hawaiibike Wrote: I am fixing a 1980's cannondale road bike and have upgraded and purchased parts to make this formerly 6 speed bike up to a 7 speed, the only problem I am having now is trying to find a rear wheel/wheelset that can accommodate the 7 speed cassette. Just wondering if it would be possible to use a spacer+the 7 speed cassette to make it fit onto a 8/9/10 speed wheel or do I need a 7 speed specific rear wheel?
Also if i need a 7 speed specific rear wheel, any suggestions as to ones that I may be able to purchase?

Any news?

So I've contacted Peter White, and have gotten the quote, but I'll be taking a bit longer route on the wheels. A friend recommended to replace components and then get the wheel....seeing as a new wheel will take maybe 3 weeks just to get to Hawaii. So that's what I've done, took off shimano 600 components from a low end tri bike and overhauled the new bike. Sadly I had to pay for labor at my LBS because I didn't have any of the tools/expertise needed to do this extensive maintenance....thus setting me back a hundred or so dollars. Hopefully by the end of this year!

(06-14-2013, 03:33 PM)1FJEF Wrote:

(06-10-2013, 10:09 PM)hawaiibike Wrote: I am fixing a 1980's cannondale road bike and have upgraded and purchased parts to make this formerly 6 speed bike up to a 7 speed, the only problem I am having now is trying to find a rear wheel/wheelset that can accommodate the 7 speed cassette. Just wondering if it would be possible to use a spacer+the 7 speed cassette to make it fit onto a 8/9/10 speed wheel or do I need a 7 speed specific rear wheel?
Also if i need a 7 speed specific rear wheel, any suggestions as to ones that I may be able to purchase?

Any news?

This may sound like an ignorant question, but are front wheels all the same? Talking in terms of the spacing. I have found numerous front wheels for sale by guys riding fixed gear bikes and I am worried about buying a decent wheel and then it not fitting.

(07-15-2013, 04:20 PM)hawaiibike Wrote: This may sound like an ignorant question, but are front wheels all the same? Talking in terms of the spacing. I have found numerous front wheels for sale by guys riding fixed gear bikes and I am worried about buying a decent wheel and then it not fitting.

Front wheels generally have 100mm O.L.D. - at least for the last 30 years or so - so you can mix and match.

Just a real quick update, I found a pair of wheels on ebay, vintage araya rims newly laced to some suntour sprint hubs that also came with a 6 speed suntour freeweel (all NOS items). This wheelset was half the price of my previous boutique wheel option. Yay for being patient and waiting!